Central America & Caribbean

Despite vibrant tourism and export economies, much of Central America and the Caribbean remains vulnerable to poverty and is also one of the most vulnerable regions to the effects of climate change. Countless families rely on small-scale farming, yet unpredictable weather patterns—from hurricanes to prolonged droughts—often destroy crops and livelihoods. As a result, hunger and malnutrition persist across the region.

Additionally, degraded soils and limited access to agricultural resources have heightened food insecurity. When natural disasters strike, rural communities are often the hardest hit, lacking the means to adapt and recover. While in Central America the prevalence of undernourishment increased from 5.6% in 2019 to 5.9% in 2022, in the Caribbean there was an increase from 15.4% in 2021 to 17.2% in 2023 (FAO, 2024). Thereby, in the Caribbean, 7.2 million people experienced hunger in 2022 and 60.6% of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity (PAHO, 2023). In this context, sustainable long-term solutions to improve crop yields and build resilience are urgently needed.

• According to the IUCN, Central America covers only 2% of the planet’s emerged territory and it contains 12% of the biodiversity of flora and fauna. On the other hand, thanks to its geography and climate, the Caribbean islands are one of the largest centers of endemic biodiversity in the world (https://iucn.org). This biodiversity provides resources for the food security of many indigenous communities that inhabit this region.
• By contrast, Central America and the Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the effects of climate change. Extreme phenomena such as droughts and cyclones are recurrent and increasingly intense, threatening agricultural production, food security and people’s health.
• In the Caribbean, 7.2 million people experienced hunger in 2022 and 60.6% of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the same year (PAHO, 2023). Furthermore, while in Central America the prevalence of undernourishment increased from 5.6 % in 2019 to 5.9 % in 2022, in the Caribbean there was an increase from 15.4 % in 2021 to 17.2 % in 2023 (FAO, 2024).

By establishing our Impact Center in this region, we are training smallholder farmers and intermediaries working with them with practical, climate-smart techniques that nurture both the land and the people who depend on it. Through hands-on trainings and innovative approaches, we aim to ensure families will break the cycle of poverty and cultivate a stronger future for their communities.